news-record.com

Tiger Woods tees off at 1:40 p.m. today at the World Golf Championships' Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

It's an event he's won seven times. It's also his first competitive round since he withdrew from The Players Championship nearly three months ago.

Woods has played just four stroke-play events this season. He made the cut in all four and has two top-10 finishes.

It all adds up to this number: 135.

That's where Woods ranks in the FedEx Cup standings. The top 125 get into the four-tournament playoffs that end with the winner receiving a check for $10 million.

People a lot smarter than me have figured out what Woods needs to get inside the top 125:

• One seventh-place finish

• Two 24th-place finishes

• Three 40th-place finishes

There are three events left before the playoffs start, and Woods has announced plans to play two: the Bridgestone and next week's PGA Championship in Atlanta.

The third is ours: The Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club. It's the last chance to score FedEx Cup points, and that has become a powerful draw.

Two years ago Sergio Garcia missed the cut at the PGA Championship. That same Friday, he committed to the Wyndham. He needed the points, and he nearly won our tournament. (He finished fourth after a disappointing 70 in the final round).

That's the scenario that could lure Tiger to Sedgefield. But the truth is, we won't know until after Friday's round at the PGA Championship.

Oh by the way: Steve Elling, a national golf writer for CBS Sports, understands the situation. Check out these two Twitter posts in the last hour from @EllingYelling :

• "Tiger spotted having lunch yesterday with Greensboro tourney director (Mark Brazil). If he needs FedEx points after Firestone + PGA, I bet he plays there."

• "Thought occurs to me that while many want to see Tiger kick butt today, entire town of Greensboro might be rooting otherwise. Get it?"

Yep. We get it.

— Jeff Mills, staff writer